| Like any opinionated subject- so close to the | | | | inability to move for a number of minutes, with |
| heart for many people- the best self defense | | | | no permanent damage. Many people believe this is |
| product is a debate with some contention. At this | | | | the best self defense product because it is easy |
| point in time, the number of choices for self | | | | to use, comes in concealable forms, and even |
| defense products can confuse a person as easily | | | | someone drugged up can't ignore the physics of |
| as the workings of a jet engine. | | | | what it does to his body. Some people don't like |
| First off, let's distinguish between lethal and | | | | that you have to make contact with your |
| non-lethal self defense weapons. Make no | | | | assailant. |
| mistake, if you feel most comfortable carrying a | | | | Cost: Medium |
| knife, gun, or some other form of potentially | | | | Convenience: Medium - High |
| lethal self defense weapon, then this is what you | | | | Ease-of-use: High |
| should carry. Your safety is the most important | | | | Range: Low |
| thing. However, I am a believer and proponent for | | | | Stopping Power: Very High |
| people using non-lethal forms, so to simplify things | | | | Tasers |
| right off the bat, let's take a look at the main | | | | TASER is actually a brand, and Tasers work very |
| types of self defense weapons: These are | | | | similarly to stun guns. The main difference is that |
| Pepper Spray, Stun Guns, Tasers, and Personal | | | | the method of delivering the high voltage stun is |
| Alarms. | | | | through 2 metal prongs that can be shot up to 15 |
| Pepper Spray | | | | feet at 180 ft/sec. If the shot misses, the |
| Pepper spray (often confused with Mace, which is | | | | cartridge can be ejected and the Taser can be |
| actually a brand of pepper spray) comes in many | | | | used as a point-of-contact stun gun. Also, if the |
| shapes and sizes. How pepper spray works is to | | | | shot connects, the Taser can be placed on the |
| spray a stream or fog of pepper extracts (usually | | | | ground and remain active while you get to safety. |
| chili) into your attacker's eyes. This causes the | | | | Many people believe this is the best self defense |
| eyes to burn, face to swell, and the individual to | | | | product because, in addition to the benefits of a |
| feel nauseated. The result is your attacker's | | | | stun gun, it has the ability to stop your assailant |
| complete inability to see or want to do anything in | | | | at a distance. Some people don't like that every |
| the short-term, with no permanent damage. Many | | | | Taser is obviously a Taser (there are no disguised |
| people believe this is the best self defense | | | | forms). |
| product because it comes in concealable forms, | | | | Cost: High |
| can stop the attacker at a distance, and is | | | | Convenience: High |
| inexpensive. Some people don't like that you have | | | | Ease-of-use: High |
| to aim the stream at the assailant's face. | | | | Range: Medium |
| Cost: Low - Medium | | | | Stopping Power: Very High |
| Convenience: Medium - High | | | | Personal Alarms |
| Ease-of-use: Medium | | | | Personal alarms come in many different forms, |
| Range: Medium | | | | and emit a noise in the realm of 130 decibels |
| Stopping Power: High | | | | when activated. Some are activated with buttons, |
| Stun Guns | | | | some with pull-strings. Many people like how |
| Stun Guns (often confused with Tasers, which | | | | convenient personal alarms are, especially because |
| are discussed below) are point-of-contact | | | | they often come with secondary features such |
| products that dump large amounts of energy into | | | | as flashlights, that they give a huge deterrent to |
| your attacker by completing a high voltage circuit | | | | the attacker and alert others in the area. Some |
| with his body. This causes the muscles to work | | | | people don't like that it has a very low ability to |
| very hard very fast; this turns blood sugar into | | | | actually stop the assailant. |
| lactic acid. The result is your attacker's complete | | | | |